NPDC Supplementary Details

12th June, 2015 - 6:47 am Categories: India News & Updates Patents 0 Comments

Patents are a major area of business proficiency nowadays and recently in India too, it has become as important as marketing, finance, corporate governance, and manufacturing economics. India’s growing R&D operations have taken a beating due to lack of in-house professionals to file patents applications. Even then, the numbers clearly indicate that there is a great deal of patenting activity going on among companies across India. Patent Specification, besides being the most important document in the entire patent registration procedure, is also considered to be one of the most complex Techno-Legal documents. Drafting of Patent Specification is a device of great importance and thus should not be left to a layman to design it. It is extremely important to use carefully selected language to describe an invention to satisfy requirements both in legal terms as well as in technical terms. Selection of the right words may prove tricky when the draft-person is an amateur. Unclear and indefinite languages used in the specification are always likely to draw competitors, or any person concerned to invalidate or oppose the patent or the patent application. And not only is the language significant, satisfying the requirements of patentability is equally vital.

And here is exactly where the National Patent Drafting Competition (NPDC) plays a crucial role in bringing greater awareness and respect for Patents in a coveted and competitive way. NPDC through its nationwide reach will aim to promote development of Patent Drafting as a Skill Set, encouraging more and more technical people to take up Patent Drafting as a Professional Competency and also identifying and honoring Top Patent Drafters in the Country. This initiative of NPDC comes with an earnest effort by IIPRD, its associates, leading sister Law Firm, Khurana & Khurana IP and Attorneys (K&K) and Sughrue Mion. Other partners serving us in this endeavour are TIFAC, PAAI, Spicy IP, IBLJ and Lex Witness.

NPDC commences on 1^st of September 2015, when IIPRD and K&K will put forth on their respective websites (www.iiprd.com and www.khuranaandkhurana.com) three invention disclosures, one each in three different domains (Electronics/ Hi-Tech, Mechanical and Chemistry/Pharmaceuticals). The NPDC will be active till 20^th September 2015, within which timeframe, Eligible Participants would need to write Complete Patent Specifications (along with Drawings, if applicable) which complies with the Indian Patent Act. Please note that one participant can file only one Patent Specification which will be one domain of his choice.

Any Practitioner having a Technical/Science Background is eligible to participate in the Competition. So for instance, the Participant could be a student, a practicing Attorney, an in-house counsel, a scientist, a faculty, or any other stakeholder having a technical qualification.

In order to make sure only serious participants submit their Specifications, a Participation Fees of Rs. 1000/- is to be submitted by each Participant, which can either be paid by means of Bank Transfer (Bank Name: IIPRD, Account No. 19620210002476, UCO Bank, Greater Noida Branch, IFSC Code: UCBA0001962) or through Cheque/DD in favor of “IIPRD”. The Draft should reach IIPRD’s Office (E-13, UPSIDC Site IV, Behind Grand Venice, Greater Noida, 201310) by 20^th September 2015. Each fee submission must be accompanied with the correct Name, Address, and Contact Details of the Participant so that Participation Certificate can be sent at the given Address to Each Participant.

Drafted Patent Specifications can either be sent to competition@iiprd.com or can be sent in Hard Copy to Physical Office of IIPRD, which is at “E-13, UPSIDC Site IV, Behind Grand Venice, Greater Noida”. In either of the ways, the Patent Specification Draft must be received by IIPRD on or before 20^th September 2015.

Evaluation of the Drafts would be done collectively by representatives from each International Law Firm and Khurana & Khurana, IP Attorneys, coordinated by IIPRD. Their collective decision on selection of the Winners will stand final and shall not be open to change in any manner. The Winners will be decided based on a combination of numerous factors (such as flow of the Specification, Scope covered through embodiments, Claim drafting strategy and Accurary of technical coverage).

Two Winners shall be announced from each Domain (a total of 6 Winners) on 25^th September 2015, through the websites of IIPRD, K&K, and its affiliates/associate. Prize Distribution Ceremony shall take place on 8^th October 2015, at the Hotel Hilton, Mumbai at 1700hrs during the Annual International Pharmaceutical/Biotech Symposium organised by IIPRD. The First Winner for each technology domain would be given a Cash Prize of Rs. One Lakh Only (Rs.100000/) and the Second Winner,a Cash Prize of Rs. Fifty Thousand Only (Rs. 50000/-). All Winners will also get a chance to attend the Symposium as Honoured Guests and will also be awarded suitable Certificates. The travel cost and stay however, shall be borne by the Winners personally. If in any case the Winners are not able to come over for the Conference and Prize Distribution Ceremony, the Winners’ Amount shall alternatively be credited to their respective Accounts.

For any of your query/question, please feel free to write to competition@iiprd.com, and/or call 0120-4296878/2342010 and speak with Ms. Meenakshi Khurana.

About the Author: Mr. ABIN SAM, interns at Khurana and Khurana, Advocates and IP Attorneys.